Separating mechanism for mail-marking machines.



No. 825,476. PTBNTED JULY 10, lQE.

5. OSBORN. SEPARATING MBHNS FOB. MAH MAEKHG MACHINES.

APLIUA'HON FILED .TUER 16, i965.

letters o UNITED STATES HOWARD USBORN, F UHIUAGO,

MARKING MACHINE COMPANY,

TRICT 0F UOLUM BlA.

)QTENT OFFICE.

'iLLl'NOI ASSIGNOR TO' TIME A GORPORATION OF THE DIS- SEPARATINGMECHANISM FOR llilAlLMAFlilNGl MACHINES..

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 10, IQQG.

Application filed June 18,1905. Serial Xo. 285,507.

nois,- have invented certain new and useful Improvements in SeparatingMechanism for Meli-Marking Machines, of which the following is adescription, reference being had to 2the accompanying drawings, forminga srt in which correspon 'ng reference in the diii'erent figuresirldica-te like parts.

VThe object of my simple, cheap, and effective mechanism for separatingmail-pieces es they are fed to e mail-marking machine which shall be soconstructed as to permit the advancement of but one piece at a time,while providing for the passage, Without obstruction, of piecesV ofvarllyi thicknesses.

o t ese ends mv invention consists in the combination of elementshereinafter more particularly described, and definitely pointed of thisspecification,

` out in the claims.

In the drawings', Figure 1 is e plan view of my im roved separator. Fig,2 is en elevation o the same, showing a portion'of the A Shaftupon whichit is mounted. Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic view in plan of a inail-feedingmechanism, showing my improved separator or retarder combined therewith;Fig. gica plan view of a modified form of separator, and Fig. 5 is anelevation thereof.

Referring to the drawings, and respectively, Fig. 3, represent the usualwell-known 'feed-ro11s, mounted, esiscustornary, upon vertical shaftscd, su ported in bearings upon a upon which is also e115; ported thecustomary guidelates or shiel s e, f, and g for the nr ose o controllingthe mail-pieces k. T e eed-rolls having the usual frictional surfacesare caused to rotate in the direction indicated by the arrows therenonto feed the mail-pieces forward between the shields e andj.

, The bunch or package of Inail-pieces is placed npon the feedingtablein the 'sensi manner, with the ends a einst the curved portion'i of theshieldf. iis causes the forward end of each successive'mail ieee fromthat next to the feed-rolls to stan slightly in the rear ofitsredecessor, as shown, and eide in initiating 51e forward movement of theone Ysnit invention is to provide a Y Y e snat ra,

next to the food-rolls, but does not insure their separation, and, as iswell known, it often happens that two or more mail-pieces will beadvanced together unless special means is provided to cease suchseparation. Forthe Y* purpose of effectue-ily accomplishing this 'rei 1provide-a separator or retarder, 1s genereily designated by gi andconssts'jof a revoinble eement. having a hnlorportion le and* a serieso? projecting ars I, formed from indie-'robber 'or other iiexiblematerial, preferably the former. The hub portion i? is provided with acentral bore adapted to receive to which it may be rlgidiy attached bymeans of a collar 'n and ring c, secured in the usual way. I pref :r `tomake the arm l integral with the hub portion and to soorm the arms thatwhat may be termed the` rear face p of each inal be in a radial line,n

while the forward or wor face g ma, be ohiique thereto and Yround at theen as shown ait r. The sepsratoris erre ed to rotate in the direction.indicated by t e arrow shown in Fig. 3 and is so placed oppositeto thefeed-roll a. that the arms may project through an opening in the shield"in the thway of the mailpeces. The ction v se tion of the exible arms Zu on the :neil-piece in contact with the feed-o is being less than thatof said rolls, notwithstandingsaid arms ere caused to move in enopposite direction, the forward mail-piece is advanced in its pathway,seid erms yielding to permit such movement in conformity to theVrequirements of thick or thin pieces. Atthe 'sanne time the friotionalaction of said arms upon the remaining pieces is such as to eiectivelyrevent their forward movement until the oremost piece is caused to befully ad vance'ry thefeed-rols, when the next wllioe actua and so ensuccessively, the separation in each instance being reiable and certainand lthat regerdess of the varying' thickness or length of theInail-pieces Y In the construction described I `haine represented Vthefscesfof the arms or proeetions esloeng arellel to the plans of the exisof the driving-s aft; but I `prefer to place such feces obiiqeiythereto, as shown at s in the mod1- .fied construction represented inFigs. 4 and 5,

or, in other Words, to arrange them spiraily ngen the periphery of thetub portieri. `By t is construction a portion of a given arm 1s broughtinto Contact with the nimh-piece :it

or about the sznnctime that .-1, portion of 1hr t I 0 not Wish io heconined to the exzifft construction shown, Us it is obvious th-fit thesume may be varied` without depei ting hun the rincipie invoiv'ed.

Swing thus described my invention7 i 1. In `a separating mechanism forinnii'- markin' machines, the conihiimticn of means for feeding themail-pieces forward, of n rc- ,tardin device consisting,r of u revohlhicele ment aving yielding: arms with frictionrtl surfaces to permit thepassage of articles of varying thickness.

2. In a separating mechanism for mailmurking machines, the combinationof means for feeding the mail-pieces forward, of a retarding deviceconsisting of a revoluble cicment having yielding arms to permit thepmssage of articles of varyingthickness, said de-4 vice being arrangedto act upon the opposite l malihing In side of the nzznhpimzes from thatof the fwd nufvintnislrx und in a direction opposed thereto.

3, Yin :t

pmi-ting inecimnism for mailfwhinmzG the .combination with :mens forinvulling; the mail-pieces forward, of it reim-dingy; drvi consisting ofa` revoluhie eienwrit having' jvirhiing firms 'with frictionaism'l'fu'os, smid :ir-nire being arranged in conti- ;fllity with michotherF whereby at least one zum shall he brought into operative contact:ilY :di tiniesdnringlr the g'mssrtgeof :L Inail-piece.

i, in :i scimrziting mechanism for maiinmrliing nmchinfs, u retarderconsisting,lr of a rcvohlhie f icnivnthevexg yielding prejectionsnrrnnisfcri 5| :i mliy upon the periphery of' zt central huh.

in testimony whereof I have signed this speciiicatic'm, in the presence0f two subscribing witl'icsses7 this 111th day of' June, 1905.

HOWARD OSBORN.

iiitnesses: Y

D. li. FLETCHER, XN. B. MAnrrNnALE.

